Suspension system



March 10, 1936. c. LlRoN ETAL SUSPENS ION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March e, 1954 March l0, 1936.

SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed March 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. LlRoN ET AL 2,33,721

Patented Mar. 1o, 1936- :PATENT OFFICE 2,033,721 y SUSPENSION SYSTEM Charles Liron and George, Vepcr, Chateaubant, France 4apprit-mam Marsha, 1934, serial No. 714,308 i In France March'7, 1933 claims. (ci. 15s-9) V'Ihis invention relates to a suspension device applicable to suspension systems of any type, and

more particularly to the suspension of seats, such as the seats of motor vehicles, motor cycles, bi- 5 cycles and so forth.

In one embodiment of the invention two springs or groups of springs are provided one of which operates continuously in the direction of its axis, so that its flexibility remains substantially constant, this spring or group of springs being thus adapted merely to support a mass. On the other hand the second'spring or group of'springs is so disposed that its axis forms a certain angle with the direction of movement of the mass, this angle being adjustable as required. In the limit case, i. e. when the mass is zero, the auxiliary springs or spring are or is located at right anglesv to the direction of movement, the angle varying Aprogressively with the movement of the mass. Consequently, the flexibility of the auxiliary springs is reduced 'as the load increases.

The suspension system according to the invention assures therefore maximum flexibility for any suspended load. It is to be understood that the springs may be replaced by any other elastic device, the invention, in its broad aspect, consisting in theprovisionvof two elastic members or two groups of elastic members, one of which is of a, substantially constant flexibility while the other is of variable flexibility, wherebyunder varying loads the flexibility of the complete system is adjustable as desired'. j

In another embodiment of the invention masses areinterposed'in thesprings or only one spring 35 oi' a suspension system either directly or under lthe interposition of levers, vsaid masses dividing the springs or other elastic members into a plurality of elements. Each element will then possess its own period of vibration, so that an interfer- 40 ence of vibrations may be brought about whereby the transmission of the vibration to the suspendal member may be avoided. y

in is understood 'that the' twoembodiments 4 above referred to may be utilized separately or in combination without thereby leaving the spirit Iig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the application of the system to a seat the suspension whereof is based on another principle.

Fig. 6 is a more general representation of same.

Fig. '7 is a diagram of the system according to the invention. l

Referring iirstly to Fig. 1, the lever I is pivoted at 2 to a iixed `support and is adapted to support a mass 3. 'I'he free end of the lever is suspended by means of two` springs. The first spring 5 is so disposed as to operate substantially in the direction of its axis. This spring, therefore, is adapted to hold the mass 3 suspended.

According to the invention this spring 5 cooperates With a second spring 6, which, when the mass to be supported is very small, is positioned in the direction of the lever I, or substantially so. When the mass or load increases the lever rocks around its pivot 2 and occupies a position according to the magnitude of the load. In Fig. 1 another position of the lever I corresponding to va. considerable load is indicated in dotted -lines. In this instance the spring 6 occupies the position indicated at 6a. 'It will be seen that in this position the spring operates in a direction approaching that of its axis. Consequently, the

resistance of spring Ii, which was zero in the position shown in -'full lines, has considerably increased by the time it arrivedinto the 'position '6a. It is easy to understand that in this manner the resistance of the system, which varies with the variation of the relative positions of the parts, tends -to adapt itself automatically to the load applied to the system. Moreover, the suspension system is Acapable of suitable adjustments,v which will be described in more detail later with reference to more developed forms of application.

Referring to Fig. 2, which illustrates the second embodiment of the i-nventi l,the lever 1 pivoted at one end at 8 and suppo ing a mass- 9 is suspended at its free end by means of a spring which is' divided into two parts by means of a supplementary mass I2, the parts o f the spring being indicated at I0 and II. In this manner the period of vibration of the suspending spring may be controlled. By suitably disposing vand calculating the mass I2 a periodicity 'may be obtained at which all vibration of the suspended mass 9 is avoided. l

Fig. 3 illustrates a combination of the two aforesaid devices, whereby a perfect suspension may be obtained. In this example the lever I3 is pivoted at its end I4 and supports a mass I5 disposed near the free end ofthe lever. The latter is suspended by means of two supporting springs I6, I'I, each of which is divided into two parts I6, |6a and I1, IIa by means of the masses I8 and I9 respectively. -The suspension system is completed by two further springs 20, 2| disposed according to the general principle described with reference to Fig. 1 and the iiexibility whereof decreases in accordance with the displacements of the lever I3, the said displacement increasing with the increase of the mass I5 to be supported. The adjustable end of these springs may be secured to two independent members or to a common member. In the example illustrated in Fig. 3 both springs 20, 2| are secured to a common supporting member 22. The latter is of segment shape and is adapted to slide in a suitable slot formed inthe frame 23 and to be secured in any desired position by means of the wing nut 24. By means of this arrangement the initial position of the group of springs20, 2| may be varied, so that the point of equilibrium of the lever |3 may be displaced into the desired position whatever the load to be supported may be.

It will be observed that in Fig. 3 the spring 6 shown in Fig. 1 has been replaced by two converging springs 20, 2| The object of this arrangement is to restore tothe system the advantages of variable flexibility by means of the spring 2| in such cases where, owing to a very .considerable load, the spring 20 tends to become a supporting spring.

With the aid of the diagram illustrated in Fig. 7 thev conditions of suspension may be investigated by way of analysis. In this diagram the displacements of the suspended mass have been plotted on the abscissa and the loads on the ordinate. A is the curve corresponding to the deformation of the springs I6, Since the exibility oi.' these' springs is substantially constant A is in the form of a straight line. B and C are vthe curves corresponding to the springs 2|), 2| ad justed to a load of 72 kgs. For this adjustment the segment 22 is', suitably displaced, this corresponding on the diagram to swinging the curves B, C around the point O. Such displacement makes it therefore possible to-cause the point of equilibrium, the locus of which is the vertical line D, to any load.v 'Ihus the curve E results from the variations in the action of the springs in the case when the point oi' equilibrium is reached at 100 kgs., in vthe case oi' curve F the point oi?4 equilibrium being reached at 50 kgs. and in the case of the curve G at '72 kgs. Aswill be seen, by action upon the springs 20, 2| the point of equilibrium which is on the vertical line D may be caused to correspond to any load. v

It is obvious that instead of being suspended at the end of lever I5 the load could be suspended at a point near the pivotal axis oi' the lever,

in which case the displacements of the charge are reduced in the proportion oi the lever arms between the points of application of the load and of the elastic system to the pivotal axis i4. Such position of the load is indicated at 25.

Fig. 6 illustrates the application of the system according to the invention to a different type of lever', wherein the fulcrum vis located at an intermediate point of the lever indicated at 26, the

, load 26 beingsuspended at the end 21 oi' the smaller arm and the elastic system being applied at the end '230i the longer arm. The elastic' system again comprises two constant flenibility springs I6, I1 and two springs '20, 2| of. variable flexibility, the segment 22.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate theapplication of the two systems shown in Figs. 3 and 6 to seats oi motor vehicles.

Figure 4 shows an application oi the suspension device diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 3 to the suspension of a -seat in a vehicle, say in a motor car.

In this application, seat 30 is hinged in 3| at its front edge on a support 32 iixed on the floor of the vehicle; a lever 33 is pivotally secured in 34 to the rear edge of the seat, at the right end of said lever is mounted a roller 35 able to roll on Springs 20 and 2|l are anchored on one hand to the same. end of the lever and on the other ,hand to a segment shaped member 36 which may slide on a circular guide 31 fastened on the support; any convenient means,.say a nut 38 may be employed to the fix in .any desired position the member 36 on its guide 31.

The working of the device is quite obvious if a load is applied onseat 30, say if some one sits on it, lsaid seat rocks round the hinge 3|, ,the springs are lengthened and the roller rolls on the support allowing the lever to take its new position.

Figure 5 shows a modiiication wherein the suspension means are like those diagrammatically illustrated inl Figure 6.

The lever 33 is pivotally secured at its right end in 39 to the rear edge of seat 36, a slot '40 is provided in said lever, and a pivot 4| fixed on also adjustable by means of' v the support is engaged in said slot in such a manner that the lever may slide thereon.

At theleit end oi' the lever are anchored the suspension devices consisting iirst of two coil springs |6|`|4 provided with masses I3 and I3 and anchored to the support, and secondly, in two coil springs 20 and 2| anchored on the support by intermediaryoi an adjustable segment shaped member -36 like that described above in reference to the device represented in Figure 4.

uIt remains understood that the invention is not limited to the examples illustrated and described, these merely indicating a few possibilities of application of the device. It is also-un derstood that various modincations may be made I may be modiiied.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the complete suspension system according to the invention may occupy anydesired position relatively to the mass or apparatus suspended there'- on or thereby, since its operation is independent oi' such relative position.

1. A suspension system for seats of vehicles Again, the device for adjusting the pivotally mounted by their front edge on a sup- 'II Y port, the first group consisting in at least one elastic member' dicularly to said disposed substantially perpenlever, the second consisting in at -least one elastic member disposed so as to form substantially an extension of the lever, ad-

justable anchorage means for the second group of elastic devices comprising a guide fixed on the support,. a segment shaped anchorage' member able to slide on said guide andvwhereon said elastic members are fastened, means for securing said anchorage member on said guide in any desired place.

2. A suspension system forA seats of vehicles pivotally mounted by their front edgelon a support xedon the vehicle, said system consisting sion means for in the combination of a lever pivotally secured to the seat at the rear end thereof, of means intermediate the ends of said lever. for causing said lever to bear on the support, and of suspenthe lever constituted by two devices anchored on one hand the'other hand with the support, the rst group consisting in at least one elastic member disposed substantially perpendicularly to said 1ever ,the second consisting in atleast one elastic member disposed so as to groups of elastic form'substantially an extension of the lever, and Y. lvibration deadening devices consisting in masses the end of the elastic interposed intermediate plurality of members and dividing them into a segments each of-which has riod of vibration, said'vibrations interfering with one another.

3. A suspension system for seats of vehicles pivotally mounted by their front edge o n a supelastic member disposed the second constituted by hand to the second its own natural pe l port fixed on the vehicle, said system comprising in combination a lever 'having a fulcrum bearing on said support. means for pivotally securing said lever to the seat, and suspension means for the lever consisting of two groups of elastic devices anchored on one hand to said lever and on the 1 other hand to another part of the system at a point the distance of which to the anchorage point on the lever varies when the seat oscillates; the ilrst group being constituted by at least one substantially perpendicularly to the lever, at least one elastic'member disposed so as to form substantially an extension ofthe lever.

4. A suspension system for seats of vehicles pivotally mounted bytheir front edge on a support fixed on the vehicle, said system comprismg in combination a lever, means for pivotally securing the iirst end of said lever tothe-rear edge of the seatfa fixed pivot mounted on the support, a slot provided in the lever between both ends thereof, said slot being slidably engaged on said pivot, suspens'on means for the lever constituted by two groups of elastic members, the first one consisting in at least. one coil spring the axis of which is substantially perpendicular to the lever, said member being anchored on one end of the lever and on the other'hand to the support, the second one consisting in at least one coil spring the axis of which forms substantially an extension of the axis of the leversaid member Vbeing anchored on one hand to the second end of the lever and on the other hand to thesupport.

5.' The device as claimed in clai'm 1 in which said lever has a slot therein and the means intermediate the ends of said lever for causing said lever to bear on said support consisting of a column integral with said support and a pin rigid with said column, slidable in said slot.

CHARLES LmoN. GEORGE VEPER. 

